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Pembroke man pleads guilty in Bryan County kidnapping

Nelson

A Pembroke man Thursday pleaded guilty in federal court at Statesboro to scheming to kidnap two Bryan County businessmen who were held for ransom.

Cecil DeWitt “Red” Nelson, 32, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield to the kidnapping conspiracy count in the indictment as part of a plea agreement with government prosecutors.

That follows the July guilty plea by co-defendant Gary Lenion “Geethang” McDonald, 36, of Statesboro, to the same charge.

The remaining defendant, Antonio Lamont “Mont” Murray, 38, of Pembroke, is scheduled to go to trial next week in Statesboro. Jury selection for that trial is scheduled to begin today.

McDonald is cooperating with the government and was expected to be called as a prosecution witness, prosecutors said in court filings.

Nelson and McDonald will be sentenced by Edenfield following completion of a pre-sentencing report by probation officials.

All three will remain in custody.

The three were indicted for conspiring between Nov. 29, 2011, and Jan. 23 to kidnap victims identified only as “T.M” and “W.D.” at gunpoint and hold them for ransom in December and January.

Prosecutors contend the defendants invaded the victims’ homes, terrorized them for ransom and used firearms in furtherance of the scheme.

The indictment charges that $19,000 was paid for the release of the first victim and $250,000 was demanded for the release of the second man.

Both victims were released after the ransoms were paid, prosecutors said.